Pats and brickbats – Aamir Khan was prepared for it all when he set out to discuss burning issues in his debut TV show Satyamev Jayate. Fearless and convinced about the aim of the show, the actor-filmmaker says he is totally unapologetic about raising the issue of malpractices in the medical profession, thereby upsetting an umbrella body of 21 medical institutions. “I have absolutely no intentions of apologising because I have not done anything wrong,” Aamir said in an exclusive interview over phone from Mumbai.

After raising concerns over female foeticide, dowry and child abuse, Aamir took it upon himself to shake up viewers and awaken them to the existence of irregularities in the country’s healthcare system. He brought issues like cut practices, unethical medical practices, and commission demands to the fore and presented live examples of people who could have been cured with simple medicines but were advised by doctors to undergo surgeries, robbing them of precious money. This ‘exposure’ has landed Aamir in the bad books of the Indian Medical Association (IMA). But he does not fret!

“We were aware that since these are issues that are core to all of us and affecting every Indian, obviously there are some people who are part of the problem, and they are not going to be happy with us because these are the ones who don’t want a solution to be there. “In fact, I would have been surprised if we would not have earned brickbats. The people who are getting troubled are very likely the ones who are part of the problems,” said Aamir, adding that he hasn’t received any physical threats so far. He protests against the allegation that he only highlighted the negative aspects of the medical profession on his show, to which was invited Dr KK Talwar, chairman, board of governors, Medical Council of India (MCI). “I don’t know whether they have seen the show because a number of times we brought out that there are many doctors who are doing great work. We gave such strong examples of positive work by doctors like Dr Devi Shetty and Dr Shamit Sharma,” said Aamir.

He denied the accusation that he insulted the medical profession. “I have not insulted the medical profession at all. I have the highest regard for the medical profession. In fact, what is insulting to the medical profession is those doctors who are indulging in unethical practices. They have insulted the medical profession, not me,” he said.

However, he is happy with the positive response from the medical community as well as youths who aspire to be in the profession. He said, “A lot of doctors have written to me and said, ‘Your work is fantastic and we are thank you for what you have done’. Dr KK Talwar, head of the Medical Council of India, was on our show and after the show was aired, he wrote to me saying: ‘I thought what you did on the show was very good.’ “He said that ‘I am aware that a small section of doctors is upset with you, but I want you to know that what you are doing is very important and I want you to know that MCI and I will do everything we can in our control and power to set things right’. Now that is such an important and encouraging response.”

“Young medical students have written to me that this is a profession we are about to enter and we are so inspired by your show to do the right thing when we enter the profession,” he added. “I want to thank these doctors and young medical students whose messages and letters have been most encouraging,” he said.

Aamir says his conviction in the concept and aim of the show have left him fearless of negative reactions. “I feel what I have set out to do is extremely important and what I support is important for me and very important for society and our country. I have absolutely no hesitation in doing what I feel is right for the country. So in that, if there is a small group of people who are getting upset, it is sad, but so be it. In fact, I would request those people who are getting upset to look inward. I believe we are trying to make a sincere effort in first understanding issues and then shedding light on them, and we are committed to that attempt,” said the 47-year-old trailblazing cinema personality.

Aamir Khan’s effort to highlight malpractices in the medical profession in India through his pathbreaking TV showSatyamev Jayate may have upset many doctors, but viewers agree that discreditable practices are widespread and the actor was indeed doing a great service and would “get support from all Indians”.

“My husband is a diabetic and he refuses to visit the doctors for the simple reason that they might ask him to undergo mutliple tests and prescribe medicine which might not be suitable,” Ajita Bajpai, a worried wife, wrote to IANS. Her reaction followed Aamir’s interview, wherein he refused to apologise to the Indian Medical Association (IMA) for exposing the underbelly of the country’s medical system. “In one experience – a wrong injection was prescribed. A second opinion confirmed our fears. The prescribed injection had side effects and was totally unsuitable to be taken. Needless to say it was expensive as well. Currently I am just worried as to how I can get him to visit a right doctor and have his faith restored with correct treatment,” Bajpai added.

Bajpai isn’t the only one. “I’ve lived in India and travelled there over 13 times over several decades. I’ve spoken to dozens of doctors, visited hospitals, talked to patients and surviving members who lost loved ones under doctors’ care. Your medical industry is frightening,” wrote a reader under the name Dee. “Surgeons stop in the middle of operations (Chandigarh) to take tea breaks. Doctors examine women without gloves. Surgery patients must rent their own equipment (IV bags, you name it) which is jointly owned by the doctors, and is then reused. Parents are pressed for more money while their child is on the operating table. Many doctors have no clue about hygiene, the proper treatment for diabetes, and give sugar pills for everything. And doctors who got their degree 20, 30 or 40 years ago have never gone back and learned anything new. India has allowed doctors to run wild. What is truly surprising is that it took a talk show, and not an official investigation, to bring this out,” added Dee.

After the fourth episode of the show, where Aamir put the spotlight on medical malfeasance, an umbrella body of 21 medical institutions has asked Aamir to apologise as they feel he has insulted the noble profession. Of course, the star is in no such mood. “I have not insulted the medical profession at all. I have the highest regard for the medical profession. In fact, what is insulting to the medical profession is those doctors who are indulging in unethical practices. They have insulted the medical profession, not me,” Aamir told IANS in an interview.

Several fans and doctors agree. “Aamir is doing a great duty towards the country by all means. He is doing whatever all Indians wish to do but can’t. However, he will get threats from all the culprits who are doing wrong practices. But he will get support from all the Indians,” wrote Anil Kumar, a viewer from Kochi. Dr Davare VR, a general medical practitioner living in Ahmednagar for the past 50 years, says whatever Aamir projected through his show is true. “There is no reason IMA or any other medical association should blame him. He is doing social work, indirectly exposing the bad elements in the medical profession. And it is equally true that 40 percent of the medical practioners are looting the population. Being in this profession, I’ve gathered a lot of experience during the last 50 years. The situation was not so grave when I started working in 1961. But it is worsening,” wrote in Davare.

While a viewer named Touqear Khateeb feels Aamir is a “money maker”, Mumbai-based doctor M Balasubramanian suggests that Aamir should add a disclaimer to his show to avoid such allegations. “Ours is a democracy; so anybody is free to say anything on any subject or discuss it on TV with nationwide exposure. While Aamir’s intentions are noble and in the interest of our country, he should put a disclaimer that the views reflected in the programme do not necessarily reflect the views of all the people,” said Balasubramanian, CEO, Shushrusha Hospital, Mumbai.